Amelia Meredith, 3, of Chicago visits with Father Christmas, a Victorian-era presentation of Santa Claus, during the Christmas in the Valley event at Merkle Cabin in Schaumburg Saturday.
Visitors to the Volkening Heritage Farm and Merkle Cabin on Saturday were whisked back to a time of less holiday hustle and bustle during the Christmas in the Valley event at Spring Valley in Schaumburg.
There was bread and gingerbread cookies baking in a wood-burning stove, a four-piece brass band playing carols, and children and their parents keeping warm with a cup of hot chocolate before visiting Father Christmas, a Victorian era-presentation of Santa Claus, in the Merkle Cabin.
Both the farm, which is an actual working farm complete with animals, and the cabin in the nearby woods, are a peek at what life was like in Schaumburg during the late 1800s.
“We’re just trying to present a more nostalgic view of Christmas, of the holidays, from the 19th Century, said Spring Valley Manager David Brooks. “Even with Santa, he’s dressing up as a Father Christmas figure because Santa has evolved over time.”
The event also takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
